Generalizations of the Perron-Frobenius theorem for nonlinear maps (Q4243756)

Let \(K^n= \{x\in\mathbb{R}^n: x_i\neq 0, i=1,\dots, n\}\) and let \(f(K^n)\subset K^n\) be a linear map which is nonexpansive with respect to the \(\ell_1\)-norm, \(\|x\|_1= \sum^n_{i=1} x_i\). The Perron-Frobenius theory of nonnegative matrices implies that for every \(x\in K^n\) there exists a minimal positive integer \(p\) and a point \(\xi_x= \xi\in K^n\) such that \(\lim_{j\to\infty} f^{jp}(x)= \xi\) and \(f^p(\xi)= \xi\), \(f^i(\xi)\neq \xi\) for \(i= 1,\dots, p-1\). Perron-Frobenius theory implies also that \(p\) is the least common multiple of some set of positive integers whose sum is less than or equal to \(n\), so \(p\) is the order of some element of the symmetric group on \(n\) letters. Conversely, every element of the symmetric group on \(n\) letters generates a linear map and has a periodic point of period equal to its order. Thus, in the linear case, it is possible to describe the set of possible periods \(p\), but the explicit computation of the same set is not trivial for large \(n\). The main purpose of the present investigation is to give a precise extension of the above aspects of linear Perron-Frobenius theory to a class of nonlinear maps. In a previous paper, the set \(P_2(n)\) of positive integers \(p\) for which there exists a map \(f\) as above and a periodic point \(\xi\in K^n\) of minimal period \(p\) was related to the idea of ``admissible arrays'' and a set \(Q(n)\) determined by certain arithmetical and combinatorial constraints. In another paper, it is proved that \(P_2(n)= Q(n)\) for all \(n\), but the computation of \(Q(n)\) is nontrivial. Here, the authors derive a variety of theorems about admissible arrays and compute \(Q(n)\) for \(n\leq 500\) and prove that \(P(n)= P_2(n)= Q(n)\) (where \(P(n)\) is defined in a suitable way) for \(n\leq 50\).